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Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog | 
 enlarge | Author: Ted Kerasote
Publisher: Harcourt
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy New: $2.00
You Save: $23.00 (92%)
New (52) Used (59) Collectible (7) from $0.67
Avg. Customer Rating:  177 reviews
Sales Rank: 5044
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.6
ISBN: 0151012709
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.7092
EAN: 9780151012701
ASIN: 0151012709
Publication Date: July 2, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New - Has remainder mark. Fast shipping from trusted wholesaler with many exclusive publisher contracts.
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Product Description
While on a camping trip, Ted Kerasote met a dog—a Labrador mix—who was living on his own in the wild. They became attached to each other, and Kerasote decided to name the dog Merle and bring him home. There, he realized that Merle’s native intelligence would be diminished by living exclusively in the human world. He put a dog door in his house so Merle could live both outside and in.
A deeply touching portrait of a remarkable dog and his relationship with the author, Merle’s Door explores the issues that all animals and their human companions face as their lives intertwine, bringing to bear the latest research into animal consciousness and behavior as well as insights into the origins and evolution of the human-dog partnership. Merle showed Kerasote how dogs might live if they were allowed to make more of their own decisions, and Kerasote suggests how these lessons can be applied universally.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 45 more reviews...
LUCKY DOG! October 6, 2008
The brilliance and vulnerability of the author's writing challenged me to be a better human to my canine friends. Thank you, Ted. Thank you, Merle. Every time I hear Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, I'll remember you fondly and lift my heart in joyful appreciation for noble characters like you. Truly,
I laughed out loud. And I cried, too. September 29, 2008
From page one, I envied Ted not only for finding a dog like Merle, but for living a life that is so well suited to a dog. What an amazing life Merle had, and all the way to the end! If only all of our dogs could have the freedom that Merle did...neurotic dogs would be an endangered species.
I cannot count on two hands the number of times I laughed out loud at Merle's antics, and at Ted's interpretations of them, while reading this book. And then, toward the end, I cried. I cried until my eyes were puffy and red, until my husband begged me to put down the book. The lives of the dogs in this book, as well as their humans' lives, are touching. This is a must read.
 Two Stories in One September 26, 2008
Did I love this book? Yes. But it is two books in one and one of the sections I found too long and of minimal interest. In fact, I purchased this book for my dog loving wife to read on the plane and she found the book too boring? Solution? Don't read the boring section if you find it as such.
The story of Merle and Ted is brillant, loving, caring, and of great interest that will leave you in tears at the end of the book. In fact, poor timing put me 100 pages away from finished at 11:00 at night which meant it was a 2:00 bedtime that night. Ted's relationship with his dog Merle is simple but complex and he does an excellent job describing how they communicate. Merle's life is much more rewarding than most dogs in a small town in the wilderness able to live without leash laws. As good as this book is in describing the relationship between dog and owner, the bonus is Ted's one long-standing female relationship with a younger, much taller woman who buys a similar dog.
The part of the book that is less enjoyable is when Ted discusses the theory of dog behavior. It is interwoven throughout the book and while interesting and informative, it does detract from the owner/dog relationship and pushes the book much longer than it needs to be. But this shouldn't penalize the absolute great story than any dog lover will enjoy reading. So, read it all, or I told my wife, skip the theory until you get to a paragraph that has the word "Merle" in it and you will get a great payoff.
 Semi Disapointed September 19, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Good book but I was somewhat disapointed. I wanted to read about Merle really not interested in all other info that was included. Way to much of it. Felt like I was back in college when all I wanted to do was read about this beautiful animal. I by passed that stuff and read just about Merle.
Greatest book! September 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a wonderful tell all book which is hard to put down. Beautifully written with indepth details. Definetely a tear jerker but also makes you laugh! I totally enjoyed it and gave it a two thumbs up. Bravo for such a wonderful story about a dog!!!!
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